In contrast to his successful military career, Jorah has been unlucky in love. His first marriage was plagued by infertility. Jorah's wife, a member of House Glover, was unable to carry a child to term throughout their ten years of marriage, and she died after her third miscarriage.

During the tourney at Lannisport celebrating the victory over the Greyjoy rebels, he met the woman who would be his second wife: Lynesse Hightower. He was immediately smitten with her beauty, asking and receiving her permission to wear her favor in the tournament. Jorah fought remarkably well, winning an improbable victory over all challengers to name Lynesse his queen of love and beauty. That night he asked Lynesse's father, Lord Leyton Hightower, for her hand in marriage, and Leyton surprisingly agreed.

Although both had married for love, the marriage did not remain happy for long. Having spent her life up to that point as part of wealthy House Hightower in the mild, prosperous and densely populated Reach, Lynesse was unprepared for life on the harsh and isolated Bear Island and quickly grew miserable. Jorah attempted to reproduce the lifestyle his wife was accustomed to by lavishing her with expensive gifts, but only succeeded in driving himself into financial ruin.

Desperate to pay off his debts, Jorah resorted to breaking one of the Seven Kingdoms' oldest taboos: participating in the slave trade. When House Mormont's liege, Lord Eddard Stark, learned that Jorah had sold poachers to a Tyroshi slaver, he condemned him to the traditional penalty: death. However, when Eddard arrived on Bear Island to execute him, Jorah had already fled.[7]

Rather than join his father in taking the black, Jorah took Lynesse along to Lys, where he attempted to make his living as a sellsword. With the relationship already strained by their exile and Jorah still unable to afford the lifestyle his wife desired, Lynesse took a lover while Jorah was fighting the Braavosi on the Rhoyne. When he returned to Lys, his wife's lover told him that he would be enslaved for his debts, if he would not give her up and leave the city. Heartbroken and exiled from his homeland, Jorah went to Volantis, where he spent the better part of a year.[8] He remained in the Free Cities and continued to work as an unaffiliated mercenary, selling his sword to the highest bidder.[9]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

At the wedding of Daenerys Targaryen to Khal Drogo in Pentos, Viserys Targaryen takes Ser Jorah into his service. Hoping to earn a royal pardon, Jorah secretly reports the Targaryens' movements to Varys. After the wedding, he travels east with the khalasar through the Dothraki sea and into Vaes Dothrak. He holds Viserys in contempt, saying that Rhaegar was the last true dragon, while Viserys is "less than the shadow of a snake."[4] However, he increasingly comes to admire Daenerys for her courage and integrity. While in Vaes Dothrak, he stands by and watches as Khal Drogo kills Viserys by pouring molten gold over him.[10] Expecting a letter from Magister Illyrio Mopatis, Jorah and Daenerys, along with her escort, travel to the Western Market, not knowing at this time that King Robert Baratheon is offering a lordship to anyone that assassinates Daenerys. While at the market, a wine merchant attempts to give Daenerys poisoned wine, but is stopped by Ser Jorah, who has just received the letter from Illyrio warning of King Robert's offer.[11]

Jorah stays loyal when Khal Drogo is near death, urging Daenerys to flee with him to the east in order to save herself and her unborn child, and he slays Drogo's bloodriderQotho in single combat when he rebels against Dany's orders. When she refuses to flee, Jorah fears that she plans to commit suicide upon Drogo's pyre, and begs her to promise him that she will not. Jorah is the only one of Daenerys's followers to willingly swear fealty to her even before the birth of her dragons, and she names him the first of her Queensguard, promising to give him a sword of Valyrian steel upon their return to Westeros. He is the first to come and find her after the fires of Drogo's pyre died down, and falls to his knees in shock upon seeing her nursing the dragons.

A Clash of Kings

In Vaes Tolorro, for the first time, Jorah tells Daenerys of his ill-fated marriage to Lynesse Hightower. He mentions that Daenerys resembled his dead wife, and Dany realizes for the first time that Jorah loves her romantically. Although she does not speak of her realization, she increasingly begins to worry that Jorah sees her primarily as either the child she once was or as a potential romantic partner, rather than truly respecting her as a queen.

Falling more and more in love with Daenerys, Jorah eventually stops sending reports,[12] sending the final one from Qarth. There he attempts to dissuade Dany from placing too much trust in the Qartheen, particularly Xaro Xhoan Daxos and the warlocks of the House of the Undying. When Dany declares her intention to enter the House of the Undying against his advice, Jorah begs her to allow him to accompany her, as do her bloodriders, but Daenerys refuses them and enters alone.

Afterward, Dany discusses the visions she has in the House of the Undying with Jorah. He accompanies her to the city docks, seeking a ship that will take them to Westeros. In the market near the docks a Sorrowful Man makes an attempt on Dany's life, but it is thwarted by two strangers. The pair introduce themselves as Arstan Whitebeard and Strong Belwas, and claim that they have been sent by Illyrio Mopatis with three ships to escort Daenerys and all her companions back to Pentos. Whitebeard, a Westerosi, mentions having seen Jorah fight at Pyke and Lannisport; Jorah finds him vaguely familiar, but is unable to recognize him. Jorah distrusts the duo, particularly Whitebeard; nevertheless, Daenerys accepts them into her service.

A Storm of Swords

Jorah finally makes his move, kissing Daenerys when they are alone. He confesses his love and repeatedly suggests they marry, but she always refuses. Although Dany still treasures Jorah's friendship and advice, his advances begin to make her uncomfortable.

When "Arstan Whitebeard" is revealed to be Ser Barristan Selmy, he reveals Jorah's former status as an informer to Daenerys. Ser Jorah pleads that he stopped sending reports long ago when he fell in love with her, and Daenerys decides to send them both on a dangerous mission into the sewers of Meereen as punishment and a chance at redemption. The mission succeeds, and upon their return to court, Ser Barristan begs Daenerys' forgiveness and she gladly gives it. Jorah, however, insists that she owes him forgiveness on account of his love and history of faithful service. Although Dany wishes to forgive him, she knows that as long as he maintains this attitude she cannot do so without undermining her own authority. She banishes Jorah from her service, swearing to kill him if she ever sees him again. Crushed by her rejection, Jorah leaves.

A Feast of Crows

A Dance with Dragons

While in a dingy brothel in Selhorys, the banished Ser Jorah hires a beautiful whore with silver hair. He spots the dwarf Tyrion Lannister in the same brothel and takes him prisoner.[13] Ser Jorah plans to bring Tyrion to Daenerys Targaryen to regain her favor and forgiveness.

Once in Volantis with his captive, at the Merchant's House, he arranges passage to Meereen with the help of the widow of the waterfront. Shortly thereafter, a female dwarf performer named Penny, blaming Tyrion for her brother Oppo’s death, tries to kill him.[8] Tyrion takes pity on Penny and she ends up joining Jorah and Tyrion as they travel aboard the Selaesori Qhoran to Meereen and Daenerys. Jorah makes it clear to Tyrion that Penny will be Tyrion's responsibility. During the voyage Tyrion realises Jorah is hopelessly in love with Daenerys and desperate to get back into her good graces. Jorah drinks and spends most of his waking hours pacing the forecastle or leaning on the rail, gazing out to sea.

When the Selaesori Qhoran is captured by slavers from Yunkai, Jorah resists the slavers, meeting them with longsword in hand and slaying three before being overwhelmed. For that they chain him to an oar, starved him and beat him to within an inch of his life. They also burn a demon’s mask on his right cheek to mark him as a dangerous and disobedient slave.[14] Tyrion reflects that Jorah had never been what one might call a comely man, but the brand has transformed his face into something frightening.[15]

The trio ends up on the auction block outside of Meereen. Brown Ben Plumm attempts to buy Jorah so he can present his head as a "wedding gift" to Daenerys, but Jorah, Tyrion, and Penny are purchased by Yezzan zo Qaggaz. Tyrion manages to get the slave overseer, Nurse, to convince Yezzan to purchase Jorah by lying and telling Nurse that Jorah is part of their show – the bear and the maiden fair. Jorah is the bear, Penny is the maiden, and Tyrion is the brave knight who rescues her. On their way to their new master’s tent Tyrion observes that all the fight went out of Jorah when he heard the news that Daenerys had wed Hizdahr zo Loraq. Witnessing Jorah's confinement in an iron cage and evening beatings, Tyrion concludes the knight has become a shell.[16]

As Yezzan zo Qaggaz lies dying of the pale mare, Jorah, Tyrion, and Penny escape and reach the camp of Brown Ben Plumm and the Second Sons. Tyrion arranges for himself and Jorah to join the sellsword company, and Penny becomes attached to the Second Sons through Tyrion. Along with Tyrion, Jorah signs the company's leather-bound book.

Jorah clads himself from head to heel in company steel. His greaves are mismatched, his gorget is spotted with rust, his vambraces rich and ornate, inlaid with niello flowers. On his right hand is a gauntlet of lobstered steel, on his left a fingerless mitt of rusted mail. The nipples on his muscled breastplate have a pair of iron rings through them. His greathelm sports a ram’s horns, one of which is broken.[15]

Jorah tells Tyrion they need to bring the Second Sons over to the side of Daenerys's Meereen, as Yunkai does not realize it has lost the war yet. Tyrion tells Jorah that the Seconds Sons need to turn their cloaks again and to leave it to him.[15]

The Winds of Winter

Quotes by Jorah

“

The common people pray for rain, healthy children, and a summer that never ends. It is no matter to them if the high lords play their game of thrones, so long as they are left in peace. They never are.[4]